Monroe Succulent

Monroe Succulent (Echeveria 'Monroe') is a compact rosette of fat, silvery blue-green leaves with pinky-red tips, around 20cm tall and wide. Its colour depends on how you grow it: silver-green in light shade with regular water, pinky-orange in full sun and dry conditions. That makes it a clever choice for gardeners who like to steer the look of their plants.

Why you'll love it

• Colour you can steer. Give it more sun and less water for pink-orange tones, or more shade and regular water for cool silver-green.
• Chubby leaves. Thick, rounded leaves give the rosette a plump, full look that suits modern pots.
• Tight in good light. Strong light keeps the rosette compact and dense instead of loose.
• Tough once established. It copes with dry spells and needs little care once settled.

Where it works best

Pots and troughs. A wide, shallow trough lets you plant several rosettes 20cm apart and compare how the colour changes between sun and shade positions.

Rockeries. In a sunny rockery pocket with sharp drainage the tips turn pinky-orange.

Bright indoor spots. A sunny room keeps the rosette tight, while a shadier shelf gives a cooler look. Like other echeverias it is not listed as toxic to pets, though a chewed plant can still cause a mild stomach upset.

Growing Monroe Succulent in Australia

Position and climate. Good light is the key: it gives tighter, more compact rosettes, and full sun brings out the colour shading on the leaves. In light shade it stays a cooler silver-green. Outdoors, choose a sunny, sheltered position in warm temperate, Mediterranean or arid and semi-arid areas, or a dry covered spot in the subtropics. It is frost tender, so in cool or frosty areas grow it in a pot that can move under cover for winter.

Soil. It needs well drained soil. A gritty cactus mix in a pot suits it, and in a garden bed a raised, gravelly position keeps the crown dry.

Water and feed. Wet the soil, not the leaves. Wait until the mix has dried through before watering again, which in warm weather is about every ten days to a fortnight for a pot. Skip winter feeding and give a light, half-strength dose once the weather warms in spring. Remember that drier conditions deepen the pink tones.

Pruning. No pruning. Remove dead, dry leaves from around the rosette, and avoid handling the plant too often, which dulls its colour.

What to expect when it arrives

Monroe Succulent is sold as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that settles in quickly once potted up. Tube plants are small young rosettes. Their colour settles once they are potted on and sitting in their final light.

The thick leaves make succulents forgiving travellers. Unpack the plant as soon as it arrives, pot it into gritty mix, and wait about a week before the first watering so any damaged roots can heal. The tube is raised by our grower and is not always on hand. When it shows as sold out, the grower has none at the moment, and the notify button on the page will email you the day it is back.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• All echeverias in our range
• More succulents to grow alongside it
• The Australian guide to growing succulents
• Repotting advice for succulents

Common questions

What colour will Monroe be?

Silver-green in light shade with regular water, and pinky-orange in full sun with drier conditions. The plant you grow reflects where you put it.

Why is it growing loose and tall?

That means too little light. Move it to a brighter spot and new growth will form tighter rosettes.

Should I touch the leaves?

Try not to. Frequent handling dulls the colour, so move the plant by its pot.